Stories for a better planet

Moon-Lake, Himalayas

Chandra Taal (Moon Lake) – A magical lake deep in the Himalayas that can transport you to the moon if you look into it.

There is a charming legend about the famous, beautiful lakes known as Chandratal and Surajtal in the folklore of Himachal Pradesh (a state in Northern India).

The story goes that the daughter of the moon and the son of the Sun were in love. They wanted to meet, but this was very difficult as the son and moon come into the sky at different times. So, they decided to meet o­n Earth. But their parents came to know about their plan and placed a mountain between them. The two lovers tried to climb over the mountain but it kept getting higher and they could not meet.

However they chose not to return and their great sorrow turned them into lakes of great purity. The Sun and the Moon felt very bad and decided to correct their mistake. That day the Sun shone very brightly, melting the snow on the mountains which filled the lakes. As their water swelled, they gave birth to two mighty rivers – the Chandra and the Bhaga, which flowed around the mountain range. When night fell, the Moon lit up the path of the two rivers and thus finally they were able to meet at a place known as Tandi.

The two lovers are said to be the two lakes we know as Chandratal (Moon Lake) and Surajtal (Sun lake), o­n the two sides of the fearsome Baralacha Pass, in the district of Lahaul and Spiti, Himachal Pradesh in India.

It is said that the mesmerizing, haunting beauty of the Chandratal is a result of the beauty of the daughter of the moon – who knows? The whole ambience of the lake does seem to be out of this world.

The beauty and taste of crystal clear water, the crown of mountain peaks towering protectively, and yet keeping their distance, the soft, abundant grass, the serenity in the atmosphere, even the air seems to speak of magic.